Clothes-washing and cleaning machine



May 31, 1949, G, KUHN 2,471,876

CLOTHES WASHING AND CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 17, 1938 J15-1'19: fig l 95 i': 1420 1 2] WWW jjjmjinn nn u 112' 1/1/14 LVJ LVJrldlorn 401 5 Patented May 31, 1949 UNITED 1 STATES PATENT-' OFFICE2,471,876' 1 I CLOTHES-WASHIN G AND CLEANING George Kuhn, Silver Spring,Md, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton. Ohio, a corporationof Delaware 106,080. Divided and this 1942, Serial No. 442,640

This invention relates to cleaning of fabrics and articles and moreparticularly to power driven washing and cleaning machines. v

This application. is a division of my copending application Serial No.106,080, filed October 1'1, 1936, for Washing and cleaning machine, now

Patent 2,282,332, granted May 12, 1942.

The invention provides a washing and cleaning machine of extremelysimple construction which provides all essential operations to effect arapid and thorough cleaning or washing of the articles.

'2 Claims. (cl. 68-131) the washing and application May 11,

The invention in its several aspects will be un-- derstood from thefollowing description con- -sidered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part thereof, and inwhich: Fig. 11 is a more or lessdiagrammatic view in 'vertical section of a preferred form of washingmachine;

These operations include circulation of the articles in the washingfluid, scrubbing and shaking of the articles, agitation and flexing ofthe fabric of the articles and rapidly pulsating the fluid through thefabric.

The machine of the present invention includes a rapidly reciprocatingwashing element submerged in the washing fluid, provided with one ormore circumferential projections or discs serving as scrubbing surfacesand as means providing .a unidirectional flow of circulatory motion ofthe fluid whereby the articles being cleaned are successively andrepeatedly drawn into a scrubbing zone adjacent the washing elementwherein they are scrubbed and vigorously shaken. Additionally, themotion of the washing element produces sufliciently vigorous pulsationswhich spread throughout the, body of the fluid and serve to loosen andremovedirt by rapidly flexing and agitating the articles and pulsatingthe fluid through th fabric. The washing element also functions tountangle any fabric or article which may have become tangled withanother or others during the washing action.

The intensity and rapidity of the washing action may be readily variedby varying'the stroke or the speed of movement of the washing element orthe rate at which it reciprocates, thereby to produce as gentle or asvigorous a washingaction Fig. 2 is an elevational view of anotherpreferred form of operating mechanism for the washing element; and t tFig. 3 is a partial view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Like characters of referencerefer to the same or similar partsthroughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the washing machine therein shown operatessubstantially as disclosed in my said copending patents, particularly2,282,332, except as herein described.

In the form of washing machine illustrated in Fig. 1, the circulation ofthe washing or treating fluid in the tub is opposite in direction to thecirculation obtained in the machine illustrated in Patent 2,282,332. Thewashing element is centrally or axially disposed with respect to the tub80, and includes four discs 8|, 82, 83 and 84 which are mounted inspaced relationship on operating as may be desired to suit theparticular type of shaft 85 which extends through a packing gland 86 inthe bottom 'of the tub. A diaphragm such as 25 in the referred to patentmay be substituted for the gland 86. The discs are arranged andconstructed so as to cause the treating fluid and the articles beingtreated to flow toward the washing element in the upper portion of thefluid, thence downwardly in the scrubbing zone, which is that portion ofthe tub disposed immediately adjacent the washing element, after whichthe fluid and articles flow radially outwardly at the bottom of the tubto the wall thereof and thence upwardly along this wall as indicated bythe direction arrows in Fig. 1. Morespecifically the discs 8| to 84areformed as disclosed in Fig. 1 to provide a series of inverted cup-shapedmembers with thickened outer peripheral edges as shown. The cups are ofgradually decreasing diameters progressively from the bottom cup 8| tothe top cup 84 but these discs may be of diameters other than thosedisclosed with one or more of the discs of the same diameter, or theymaybe of other relative sizes. The discs may be of any suitable materialsuch as metal, hard rubber, Bakelite, etc., but are preferably ofelastic or flexible material such as live rubber, or suitable rubbercomposition reinforced with fabric, metal or other material such assuitable metal reinforcements 81, although fabric or other suitableredirection.

inforcing material may lie-employed. Asshown,

a the stroke may be varied from zero to maximum the bottom of the tub 88extends outwardly and downwardly in a'smooth curve and connects to andoperation of the washing element and its discs is the same, or similarto, the function and voperation of the discs I 8 to I, in the machineshown in Figs. 1 and 3 of Patent 2,282,332, ex-

ceptingthat the circulation of the fluid in the tub is in the reversedirection. The tub may con- ,tain 18 gallons of warm water, 4 ounces ofsoap, and 12 pounds of soiled dry clothes. The washing element may bereciprocated at the rate of 600 strokes per minute with alV stroke.Discs 8| to 84 may be arranged similarly to the discs l I8 to 1-9 toproduce a similar effect on the circula-- the reverse tion of the fluidand articlesbut In The operating mechanism for the 7 element showninFig. 1 is arranged to provide an adjustment of the length of the strokeof the washing element. In the form shown, drive shaft 88 is rotated byan electric motor or other suitable -means through a belt drive orsuitable gearing. Eccentric 89 is'flxed to shaft 88 and eccentric strap58 has an arm 8| pivoted to one end of operating lever 92 which ispivotally connected at an intermediate portion 98 thereof to shaft 85 ofthe washing element. The other end portion 94 of the lever 92 passes insliding relationship through a block 85 which is pivotally secured inoppositely disposed trunnions to a carriage 88 theadedly mounted on anadjusting screw 81. Washing element shaft 85 extends through spacedbearings 88 and 88. With this arrangement it will beperceived thatrotation of the shaft 85 and to the washing element secured thereto. Thelength of the stroke of the washin element may be varied by adjustmentof screw 91 which moves the fulcrum of lever 92 toward or I from theshaft 85. As the fulcrum moves toward washing for the device. .Theoperating disc I I8 may be rotated by any suitable means at any desiredangular velocity.. Pin III on the. disc moves in a slot I I2 in one endof a lever I I3 which is pivotally connected at an intermediate portionI I4 to washing element shaft 28 or 85. The other end II5 of the leverH3 is slidably mounted in a block .Ears I I! are pivoted at II8 tospaced ears II8 on a rack bar I28 slidably mounted on a supporting rodI2I. The'teeth of rack bar I28 are in mesh with the teeth of a pinionI22 flxed to a shaft I23 which may be rotated by hand or by other means.With operating disc II8 rotating in a counter-clockwise direction asseen in Fig. 2,the washing element on shaft 85 will be moved upwardlyrelatively rapidly and will be moved downwardly relatively slowly. Withoperating disc I I8 rotating in 'a clockwise direction, the washingelement will be moved upwardly relatively slowly in the direction oftheclosedends of the cups and will be returned relatively quickly in thedirection of the outward flare of the cups. The length of the stroke of;the washing element may be varied from zero to maximum for the device,for

example 2" or thereabouts, by movement of pinion I22 to move thefulcrum- I I8 for the lever II3 between a position in alignment with thepivot Ill and a position removed therefrom the greatest distancepossible for the mechanism.

Positions of fulcrum II8 intermediate these extreme positions willprovide intermediate lengths of stroke for the washing element.

The washing elements constructed and opercounter different degrees ofresistance to their shaft 85 the length of the stroke of the washingelement will be diminished, whereas movement ofv the fulcrum away fromthe shaft 85 will cause the stroke of the washing element to beincreased.

- mechanism, the arrangement is such that the length of stroke of thewashingelement may not be reduced entirely to zero. However, slightpassage through the fluid. When the discs are of flexible or elasticmaterial or construction, the effective diameters alternately decreaseand increase duringv operation'on their upward and downward strokesrespectively, whereby their fluid'propelling action as previouslydescribed is further amplified. This pulsating unidirectional flow ofthe fluid carries the articles into proximity of the washing elementwhich engages the articles singly and pulls them individually in aseries of short, fast jerks past the scrubbing edges which shake, flexand briskly rub the fabrics and propel them through the scrubbing zoneand then outwardly, after which they are carchange inthe block 88 andassociated parts as disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3 will permit thepositioning of trunnions I88 which function as the fulcrum for lever 92in alignment with the axis of Shaft 85 so that zero stroke for thewashing element may be obtained. It will be understood that disclosed inFigs. 1 and 3 of the patent.

its removal in the scrubbing zone.

the operation is such that the washing element is rapidly reciprocatedwith relatively short strokes as in the case of the washing element riedby the currents of fluid to points in the tub where they begin a newcycle. Throughout the process of washing, the fluid continuouslypulsates back and forth through the meshes of the fabric therebyloosening the dirtpreparatory to Whereas a steady pull would not loosenan article entangled in a mass, a series of fast, short jerks such asprov duced by the machine of my invention, readily does so. 7 o Inasmuchas the rate and direction of circulation-of the fluid, the intensity ofthe washing action, and other factors depend upon the shape,

fl-Jbe .readilyjperceived that any or all of these size, number andrelative position and inclination of, the surfaces of the discs as wellas upon the operatingspeed of the washing element, it will factors maybe modified as desired to meet any particular requirements.

It will be understood that the direction of fluid circulation obtainedduring operation of the washing elements shown may be reversed merely byinverting the surfaces of the discs of the washing elements.

In the embodiments of the invention herein disclosed, the washingelement is operated in a substantially cylindrical tub, but the washingele-- ment may be shaped to suit any other shape of tub, such asrectangular, in which case the washing element may consist of rigid orelastic strips of a configuration to conform to the shape of the tub toproduce uniform circulation of fluid throughout the tub. For example, along, rectangular tub may be used with a washing element positionedlongitudinally in the latter and consisting of elongated stripssupported by a vertically disposed plate which is verticallyreciprocated rapidly with short strokes.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the form, location,relative arrangement and the materials of the several parts of themachine disclosed without departing from the principles of theinvention. Accordingly nointention is en- Ytertained to limit theinvention except by the means having provisions for imparting fasterstrokes in the direction of the outward flare of said element than inthe other. i

2. Apparatus for treating articles with fluid comprising a tub, asubstantially vertically reciprocating outwardly flared washingelementin said tub producing toroidal circulation, power means to impartoppositely directed, rapid; rectilinear, short strokes to said element,said power means including an eccentric rotatable member, andconnections between said eccentric member and said reciprocating elementimparting faster operation during the portion of the stroke in thedirection of the flare than during the corresponding opposite portion ofthe stroke.

GEORGE KUHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

